


The perks of Veritaserum

by PollyDarton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Sex, HP Next Gen Fest 2020, Harry Potter Next Generation, Humour, Love Confessions, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Post-Hogwarts, Slash, Truth Serum, Veritaserum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26538334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PollyDarton/pseuds/PollyDarton
Summary: James drank a long-lasting version of Veritaserum and is miserable and Teddy is having the time of his life. That is, until they’re both having the time of their lives.
Relationships: Teddy Lupin/James Sirius Potter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 134
Collections: Next Gen Fest 2020





	The perks of Veritaserum

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to the lovely Kattlupin for the beta work.
> 
> Thanks to gracerene for the prompt.

When he was a little, James would wish he was an only child. For the obvious reasons, you know; suddenly not being the centre of attention, having a small red faced creature that screamed all the time in his house, having to share his bedroom with said creature, etc. As he got older, James learned that having younger siblings had its advantages, like having someone to do your chores for you in exchange for a payment they were too young to understand was unfair, or having someone to upset just because. James learned to love his siblings and eventually he stopped wishing he was an only child. He even missed them at times – not that he would admit that to anyone.

That was until Albus’ last day at Hogwarts.

**A concept:** Your younger brother is really good at potions – way better than you, but that’s alright, you’re good at things he sucks at, such as quidditch and having nice hair and being cool, whatever – and is able to impeccably brew a truth serum. He’s actually so good at mixing ingredients in a cauldron that he brews his own kind of truth serum, a more potent one – albeit illegal!!! – that can last for hours.

**A problem:** Your younger brother – let’s call him by his name, shall we – Albus, is a Potter, and, as if that weren’t enough, a Weasley! Hence, he has a really good imagination when it comes to pranks. Also: Albus remembers all the times James took advantage of his innocence and he would like revenge.

Can you see where this is going? I hope you do, because check this out:

**A slightly bigger problem:** No one knows how long the effect of the – illegal!!! – potion will last, because it has never been brewed before! It could go on for days. Or months! Isn’t that great? Albus sure thinks so.

Lily was having the time of her life.

The parents made a very valid attempt to be angry at the prank and not take the piss, but had to leave the room when their facade began to crumble.

James was in complete misery.

Especially because the family – once everyone had recovered and had no more embarrassing stories to rip out of him – was to go and celebrate their younger boy’s school graduation. James refused to join them, and his reasoning for so was _very_ honest.

_ Trust me _ .

So there was our nice lad James, at home, abandoned by his family for the weekend and feeling all funny on the brain. He couldn’t even tell himself he was fine with missing the Quidditch Final because he couldn’t lie, not even to himself, so all he could do was sulk, and be miserable and plan his revenge.

He was half way through his amazing plan to make Albus’ hair disappear – he was the only one not graced with the Potter’s devious hair and should be punished for that – when the doorbell rang. He was dreading who was on the other side of the door, because if it was one of his uncles he was in for a hell of a ride, but it was a patch of blue hair, which he peeked through the peep hole, that sent his heart through the floor.

James opened the door trying to let all the misery of the world show on his face, even as his heart began to hammer at Teddy’s shit-eating grin.

“Wotcher, Jamie.” Teddy passed by him and entered the house, eyes as wide as his smile and James looked hopefully at the sky, entering at last, feeling utter betrayal when no lightening hit him on the head.

“What are you doing here?” James said carefully as he turned to find Teddy already barefooted and sitting on the couch like he lived there.

“Your dad sent a message telling what happened and asked if I could come and keep you company for the weekend.”

James wanted to jump on him and make his smile disappear with a punch.

Or maybe…

… with a touch of lips.

“That’s nice of you, but I’m fine on my own.”

Not a lie, apparently.

“Do you not want me to stay?” Teddy said over his shoulder as he made his way towards the kitchen.

“I do.” James’ response surprised himself and he stopped at the kitchen door looking at the floor.

“I’ll stay, then!” Teddy sent his toothy smile towards James and took a swig from the bottle he had got from the refrigerator.

James mumbled something as he moved to get a drink for himself and sat at the table, mutely inviting Teddy to do the same even as dread filled him.

“So…” Teddy started and placed his bottle carefully on the table, “A truth serum, huh?”

“Yes.” James filled his mouth with water and puffed his cheeks, looking quickly at Teddy and then away.

“What an opportunity.” Teddy leant forward and squeezed his eyes, eyeing James attentively.

James only widened his eyes, his mouth still full of water, and braced himself.

“Albus said to ask what did you do on your second night at Hogwarts.”

James swallowed the water thickly. “I cried.” He was about to drink again, but Teddy was faster.

“Why?”

“Because I missed my mum.” His neck was starting to get hot, but that was not the worst thing Teddy could rip out of him.

“Really?” Teddy looked amused, but he also looked like he was pitying James.

James looked out of the window and cursed silently at the clear sky. “Yes. I also sent a letter home asking if mum could come see me.”

Now Teddy full on laughed and James added cockroach legs to the potion that would make Albus’ hair disappear just for the yuck factor.

“ They also told me to ask about something regarding  g McGonagall?”

“Is that a question?” James managed to ask defiantly and he felt his eye twitch.

“Yes, it is.”

They stared at each other for a second and when Teddy realised the absurdity of it he decided to take a different strategy. “What is it that they wanted me to ask you about Professor McGonagall?”

“About what I called her in my second year and how I reacted to it.” In addition to his neck, now James could feel his ears start to heat up and he cursed his Weasley genes.

Teddy was on the edge of his seat, leaning on his forearms over the table, “What did you call Professor McGonagall in your second year?”

James managed to send an evil glare at Teddy before responding: “I called her mum.” Now his cheeks were on fire.

“ And how did you react to that?” Teddy’s eyes were small because of the size of his smile.

“ **I** cried a bit.” Teddy looked enchanted and, look at that, James just burst into flames. “In the middle of class.” He had no reason to add that, but Teddy just looked so cute when he was that amused and with tears in his eyes that James’ brain kind of melted.

Teddy let out a weak “ _ Oh, no _ .” and had the ability to look sorry for James even as he laughed right in his face.

James drank the rest of his water and waited, watching how the colour of Teddy’s hair matched the traitorous sky outside.

When at last Teddy stopped laughing, James looked at him with raised eyebrows, “Having fun?”

Teddy just nodded emphatically, his eyes sparkling in a way that made James uneasy. “So let’s get to the interesting stuff.”

_ Oh no. _

“Do we have to?” The _pleas_ e _have mercy_ went unsaid.

It also went unheard, apparently.

“You never said the real reason you broke up with your girlfriend.”

Oh, wow, straight for the head.

James just eyed Teddy, dreading what he knew was coming next and unable to find a way out.

“So tell me, Jamie…”

“Can we not do this?” Even as he said it, James knew their settled dynamic would never let Teddy take his plea seriously.

“Come on, you made a mystery out of it. It can’t be that bad.” Teddy was smiling, taking James' discomfort for what it usually was and unable to see the truth behind it, especially when all he did was roll his eyes. “Why did you break up with her?”

“Because I fancied someone else.” That was the easy part, the part he could deal with. It didn’t mean anything.

Teddy was leaning over the table again. “Who?”

“You.” To be fair the word felt like it struggled a little to leave James’ mouth. It was painful to watch realisation down on Teddy.

“What?” Teddy went back to his chair.

“I fancied you, that’s why I broke up with her.” James felt like he could see the words leaving his mouth and making their way to Teddy’s ear.

“Since when do you like blokes?” Teddy seemed amused, that could be a good sign, right?

James looked at him a bit taken aback. That was not what he expected Teddy to focus on. “For a while now.” He took the evasiveness of his answer as a positive sign.

“Does anyone else know?”

“No.” Worst coming out in history.

Teddy looked around for a moment, seeming lost.

“And since when did you feel that way about me?”

“Since I was fifteen.”

“Oh my god, James.” Teddy ran his hand over his mouth.

His real name, that’s always fun.

“Listen, Teddy…?”

“Does that mean you still feel that way?”

James couldn’t read Teddy’s expression, and that was scary on its own, match that to his tone and James was fucking terrified.

“Yes, I do.” He felt like he was about to cry and, jeez, that would be really in character wouldn’t it? “Can we stop that now?” He added when Teddy only looked at him, saying nothing.

Teddy seemed to come to a realisation. “Of course.” He changed his posture. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” James felt his throat constrict, unable to tell what Teddy meant by that. He mumbled something and made his way quickly out of the kitchen when he felt the tears burn in his eyes.

He locked himself in his room and cursed at his stupid tear ducts, and at his stupid heart that went falling for his best friend, and he cursed at Albus and at Teddy and his stupid blue hair and mismatched eyes and stupid _stupid_ pretty smile with canines and everything.

James stayed in his room all afternoon, and he only left when it was dark outside and he had figured Teddy had gone home. He felt sad that Teddy would just leave without saying good-bye and that he didn’t even try to talk it out with James. He was getting ready to mourn the death of his longest friendship when he spotted Teddy in the middle of the kitchen, hair pink and wearing the apron Lily had got Ginny when she was little while removing something from the oven.

“You’re still here.” James said dumbly.

“I can see the truth serum is still working.” Teddy said lightly and settled the plate in the middle of the table.

James approached carefully. He sniffed the air and looked over at the table. “You made lasagna.”

“Yes, I did.” Teddy raised his eyebrows at James as he used his wand to set the table. “Are you only going to state the obvious, now?”

His tone was still light, and James felt a wee bit relieved. “Maybe.” He raised his eyebrows right back at Teddy and felt it was a small victory that he managed to stop his eye from twitching.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes.” James sat by the table with his hands on his lap and watched Teddy remove the apron and sit across from him.

James felt robotic as he held his plate up for Teddy to put a piece of lasagna on it and they began to eat. Teddy was quiet, which was unusual, and it was weird to be quiet with him; since they were little they always made a point of being as noisy as possible.

“So…” Teddy started and James dropped his fork and braced himself for whatever horror awaited for him, but Teddy’s hair had turned back to blue and his tone was completely different when he talked again. “I’m really sorry I made you say that, I had no idea you felt that way, if I knew the topic would make you that uncomfortable I would never have insisted. I’m ready to pretend that never happened.” He sounded a bit frantic and if James weren’t so miserable he would have laughed at his face or found that sweet, but more likely both.

“Ok.” James mulled the truth over in his brain a little before letting it out: “Me too.” He thought some more, “I think.”

Teddy raised his eyebrows questioningly.

James shrugged, “I guess the truth serum can only go so far.”

Teddy nodded, “We can wait until you’re ready to talk about it for real, or we can never talk about it, if that’s what you want in the end.”

James just nodded and went back to his lasagna, feeling like his emotions were jumping all over his brain, making a mess and leaving him confused and exhausted.

“Do you feel any different?” Teddy looked at him and brought a piece of food to his mouth. He visibly swallowed painfully quickly when he saw the large, pleading eyes James was sending him. “I mean about the serum. Do you feel it’s wearing off or something?”

“Not really.” James sighed. The serum did require less thinking when it came to direct answers, and that kind of felt like a win.

“You should go to bed early, maybe you can sleep it off.”

They focused on eating still in a strange silence, until Teddy broke it.

“There’s one more thing I’d like to ask, though, before it wears off.”

James’ heart went all insane again as his brain felt like it just gave up completely. He said nothing.

“How did McGonagall react when you called her mum?”

James looked at him dumbfounded, and when the question fully sank in he laughed a bit hysterically. “She just looked at me over her glasses and said ‘That’s very sweet, Mr Potter, but there’s no need to call me that’.”

Teddy laughed at James and when their eyes met his eye twinkled in a way James didn’t understand.

Once they were done eating, James showed Teddy the way to the guest’s room and went to his own, where he turned the day over and over in his head until he fell asleep.

When James woke up the next morning he felt more like himself, and he analysed his thoughts carefully as he got dressed, trying to make sure that the effect of the potion had worn off. He walked around his house expecting to be alone, as he thought Teddy had finally understood what _James had confessed to him_ and left to never be seen again. He was just considering how upset his father would be that he had driven Teddy away from the family when he spotted him, once again, in the middle of the kitchen drinking milk straight out of the bottle.

James stood at the door watching Teddy screw the lid back on the bottle and put it back into the fridge when the sound of thunder cracked and he sent an evil glare towards the sky. “You shouldn’t do that.” He removed the tainted bottle from the fridge and threw it away since it was empty.

“How are you feeling?” Teddy started making his way around the kitchen putting everything in motion to prepare breakfast.

“ Better.” A lie. The potion  _ had  _ worn off. “It’s finally over.”

“ Really?” Teddy looked at him brightly and turned away quickly when James nodded. “That's good.”

James thought his tone was strange, in a way he couldn’t quite place, and it made him uneasy to think that this was going to be their dynamic from then on; just not quite the same.

Teddy sent everything flying onto the table, but served James’ coffee himself, catching his eye briefly and then walking away to take his place across from him. James felt uneasy all through breakfast and the food seemed to have no taste. After he was tired of pushing his food around his plate he mumbled something and made his way to the living room.

Teddy followed him. “Are you sure the effect has worn off?”

“I think so, yes.” James could tell mostly because of the mess that his brain was, unable to separate what was real and what was not.

“Good, ‘cause I lied,” Teddy said abruptly as he sat beside James on the couch.

James swallowed thickly. “About what?”

“About forgetting everything. I don’t want to forget, I want to talk about it.” He had a very serious look on his face, which was very unusual.

“I’m not sure there’s a lot to talk about, Teddy. I would never have said that if it weren’t for the potion, but it’s not like I can say it was a lie.”

Teddy nodded. He still looked sinisterly serious. “Yes. I’m sorry again for making you say it like that.”

James frowned. “Please don’t be so serious, it’s freaking me out.”

Teddy rubbed the back of his head and laughed lightly. “Sorry. I got a little freaked out too, you have to understand.” He looked at James from the corner of his eye. “Did you plan on telling me about that any time?”

James had his hands between his knees as he thought about his answer. He decided to be honest “I don’t think so, no.”

Teddy nodded and seemed lost in thought for a moment.

“Listen, Teddy, I never meant for this to happen, ok? It was a shock when I found out and I tried to fight it, but it’s not like I can control it.” James chanced a glance at Teddy and found him staring at him. “I never planned to act on it, and I still don’t. I understand that it freaks you out, and I’ll understand if you don’t want to be friends any more, even if it makes me sad.” Teddy was still staring at him and James felt like he wasn’t able to get his point across.

Teddy huffed a laugh and ran his hand through his hair, looking at the ceiling before averting his eyes back to James. It seemed like he was going to say something, but instead he only licked his lips and looked away.

“What is it?”

“And you’d be happy like that?” Teddy seemed to think some more. “You’d be ok with never acting on it and us just being friends forever?”

“I suppose.” James frowned, he wasn’t understanding where Teddy was going with this. “I’d eventually get over it, I guess.” When Teddy only nodded, James continued: “I still plan on doing it. Getting over it, I mean.”

When Teddy looked at him again there was that strange glint in his eyes that James couldn’t place. He stared at James and at last seemed to come to a conclusion. “Didn’t you think maybe I’d like to know?”

“What.” James said dumbly, caught off guard and not even being able to make it sound like a question.

Teddy only shrugged and James tried and failed to understand what he meant. “What?” He repeated.

“Did you consider the possibility that I felt the same?”

“What?” James said weakly, the sound barely making it out. “No?” Now _that_ sounded like a question.

Teddy nodded and kept looking at him, when all James did was look back he raised his eyebrows. “Do you see where this is going?”

James felt  _ really  _ stupid even as his heart started trying to thump its way out of his chest. “Will you please say what you’re trying to make me guess because I’m obviously not good at this?”

Teddy moved closer and James could see clearly that his eyes had different colours. “I feel the same way.”

James let out a ridiculous, high pitched little laugh and blushed and that was all his body was able to do, what with Teddy moving closer and  _ confessing  _ to him,  _ how are you supposed to react to that? _

“Are you okay?” Teddy was close now, their knees touching and everything.

“Are you going to kiss me?” James felt his entire face burn at the ridiculous question, but he didn’t know what to hold on to.

“ Only if you want me to.” Teddy was staring straight into his eyes and James never knew this was going to happen ever and he was  _ totally not ready _ .

James thought a little and reached the conclusion that there wasn’t really a lot to think about, so he nodded. “I do.” He said weakly. “I’ve thought about it and I’ve wanted it for a while now.” He swallowed, “Not that I fantasis…” He was mercifully silenced by Teddy’s lips touching his own and, _oh my god_ , it was really happening and he had _totally_ fantasized about it, who was he kidding.

James reacted immediately, his hands going to the sides of Teddy’s face and pulling him closer, a little part of his mind tried to voice its worry that he was being too eager, but it was violently silenced by the million thoughts racing through his head and, like,  look, Teddy’s hand was on his waist and pulling him closer and he was obviously a really good kisser and smelled really good too.

Teddy broke the kiss, but stayed close, he was smiling. “I can almost _hear_ your thoughts.”

James’ eyes were fixed on Teddy’s lips that were a really nice shade of pink, now. “Sorry.” He kissed Teddy again before he had a chance to change his mind and was gladly kissed back. “ Why didn’t you say anything yesterday?”

Teddy grabbed James’ hips and pulled him against himself, “Because I didn’t want to talk about it when you were under the serum, I wanted you to be able to say only what you wanted me to know.” He placed a kiss on the corner of James’ mouth.

“ Since when are you so sweet?” James didn’t really want an answer, not when Teddy’s pupils were blown wide, and did we mention the lips? So he kissed Teddy again, his fingers tangled in his blue hair.

Kissing Teddy was everything James’ ever wanted, but it was also not _everything_ he wanted, and now the room was starting to get warm and stuffy, so he had to break the kiss one more time. “Let’s go to my room.” He placed one last kiss to Teddy’s lips for good measure before standing up and pulling him along to his bedroom.

James sat against his headboard and pulled Teddy by the hand until he had done the same, a bit touched that he was looking bashful, but not really in the mood for that. He pulled Teddy towards himself, intent on touching all of his hair, and Teddy went easily, adjusting himself around James. James was still not satisfied though, so he lay down, always pulling Teddy along impatiently, until Teddy was on top of him. Now, this was a thrill all on its own, to have Teddy’s weight warm on top of him and his hands making the pillow sink on the sides of his head, and his mouth _right there_ , in reach of his own, and his back all free to be explored. _Oh_ , there was so much to explore.

Teddy was calm and deliberate, one of his hands in James’ hair while the other ran down his side until he could reach James’ leg and hook around his waist, lying taut on top of him. He seemed happy the way they were and showed no signs that he’d do more, and that just wouldn’t do it, so James slid his hands under Teddy’s t-shirt on his back and pulled it upwards until it was off and there was all this exposed skin right in front of him.

James pushed Teddy away lightly, “Lie down.” He almost fainted when Teddy did so against the pillows, looking all hot with his half-lidded eyes and parted lips as he watched James remove his own t-shirt. Soon James was on top of him, thrilled at the feeling of their skin touching and of Teddy’s hands on his back, pulling him close.

James placed his hand on Teddy’s belly, tracing the soft skin with his fingers until his bellybutton and from there he followed the trail of hair until the waistband of his pants. He hooked a finger on the waistband and pulled slightly, breaking the kiss to check Teddy’s reaction. “Can I?” He didn’t know if he wanted to look at the eyes or at his lips or at both at the same time.

Teddy nodded and his face was flushed and James couldn’t keep away when he looked like that. He kissed Teddy's jaw and then down his neck, but he had to stop to look as he undid his pants. He let his forehead rest on Teddy’s chest for a second before sitting back and pulling his pants down his legs. Teddy raised his hips to help, and  _ Merlin _ , was that hot. The pants also pulled his underwear down a bit, but it didn’t slide down a lot because it got caught on Teddy’s cock and suddenly James had a very clear objective on his mind.

James threw the pants over his shoulder and undid his own pants to release some of the pressure before moving to hover over Teddy again. “There’s something I’d like to do.” He felt his face blush, but Teddy whispered an _ok_ and the thought of what he was going to do was enough to make him touch himself over his pants.

James went back to sitting on his calves and pulled Teddy’s underwear down his legs, finally revealing what he had only seen in his dreams. He touched Teddy lightly with the tips of his fingers and watched as he sucked in a breath and adjusted himself better on the pillows. James felt a bit self-conscious that Teddy was watching him, but his curiosity got the better of him and soon he had his hand wrapped around Teddy’s cock, his own mouth parting at the weight of it. He chanced one last look at Teddy and bent forward to kiss at his stomach, beside his bellybutton, and from there towards where his hand was moving slowly, getting familiar with him.

“Have you done this before?” Teddy grabbed James’ hand that was resting by his side on the bed.

James shook his head. “No.” He licked at the head and Teddy seemed out of himself. He pulled Teddy’s hand towards him and looked at him one last time before taking him into his mouth.

James had to touch himself when Teddy’s hand gripped his hair and he made the hottest sound on Earth. He worked his mouth over him slowly, learning his way and getting comfortable around him. He went down as far as he could and felt his gag reflex react in a way that seemed very unappealing, but Teddy _actually moaned_ and James decided to stop being careful and really went for it on him. The sounds Teddy was making and the way he was gripping James’ hair made James feel like he was doing something right and also really hot both physically and figuratively, and he wanted nothing more than to keep ripping those sounds from him. Soon Teddy’s moaning was getting louder and he was pulling on James’ hair, and James knew what it meant so he watched, entranced, as Teddy sank his head into the pillow with his mouth parted and came on James’ hand that was still moving over him. When James didn’t stop Teddy huffed out a little laugh and gripped his wrist, pulling him up and kissing him on the mouth.

James removed his hand that was still inside his pants and pushed the garment down his legs before pressing his hips against Teddy’s, craving his body against his own. Teddy understood and shoved his hand inside James’ underwear while he kept the other firm on the back of his head to keep James close as he watched his face. James didn’t really stand a chance, what with Teddy being who he was and also really good at what he was doing, or maybe James was just in love, but either way, in a heartbeat he was coming, his forehead resting against Teddy’s as his body shook and he gasped.

Teddy used his hand on James’ head to push his head until he could place a kiss on his forehead, after what James lay on top of him, pretending he couldn’t feel the mess between their bodies as he rested his head on Teddy’s shoulder.

They stayed in silence for a while, James concentrating on listening to Teddy’s heartbeat underneath his ear while Teddy traced patterns over the expanse of James’ back. James could hear Teddy’s heartbeat speed up before he started talking.

“So…”

James sighed and raised himself on his arms to look at Teddy’s face. He took it as a good sign that his hand didn’t stop moving over his back.

“Should we talk about it?”

James whined. “Do we have to?”

Teddy laughed and squeezed his arms around him. “I think we do.”

“Why?” James was still whining as he hid his face on Teddy’s shoulder.

Teddy ignored the question. “So are we a thing now?” He pulled James away from his hiding place and raised his eyebrows at him when he didn’t answer.

James didn’t want to be the first one to give in. “Do you want us to be?”

“Are you playing hard to get?” Teddy sat up with an incredulous smile on his face and James followed.

“Are we going to talk only in questions now?” James wanted to kiss him again and to do other things to him, but it was hard to admit it out loud.

Teddy rolled his eyes and touched James’ fingers lightly. “I’m serious, Jamie.” His touch was careful and almost shy. “I want to know that we haven’t ruined our relationship.”

“If anything I think we made it better.” James shrugged and smiled from the corner of his mouth. “You know I like you.” He entwined his fingers with Teddy’s. “And, if I’m not mistaken, I think you like me too.”

Teddy nodded and pulled him by the hand, “I do.” And he kissed James, deep and open-mouthed, with his hand on the back of James’ head in a way that had quickly become a favourite.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> \---  
> This work is part of HP Next Gen Fest 2020. The creator will be revealed at the end of November.


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